Identifying Patterns in Moon Observations

I asked the students to use their sky journals, moon calendars, and any previous knowledge to document what phases of the moon they have seen so far to sketch the eight phases of the moon in their groups. The students started by drawing the phases of the moon they had already observed and filled in phases they were missing by observing patterns. Next they arranged the white boards in order of the moon's phases.

Powerful Ideas:

• The sun is the light source for the moon. The moon does not seem it be its own light source.
  
• As seen from Earth, the lit portion of the moon changes. There are eight phases: New, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent.
  

One of the students asked whether the shadow on the moon was created by the earth blocking some of the sun's light. Another student answered her question by explaining that the moon is always half lit- and that the portion of the moon that we can see is what is changing.